Check it out! SMS students get to test their hypotheses at science fair

Can you use solar power to cook s'mores? What's the sturdiest way to construct a bridge? Which colors absorb the most heat?

Local students tackled these questions and more last Thursday at the Saratoga Elementary/Middle School Science Fair.

Students in grades fourth to seventh all constructed their own science projects to put on display. Using the scientific method, students picked out a project that interested them and shared their results with parents, staff and community members. Three winners from each grade were selected as top prize.

Fourth grader Jaden Campbell caught the attention of the judges as she wrapped an umbrella with tin foil. In her first place project titled "Umbrella Food", Jaden attempted to use the sun to reflect off the tin foil in order to cook s'mores. Her hypothesis was that Solar Power would heat up her s'more into a delicious snack. After solar heat failed to cook her treat, Jaden came up with her own conclusion.

"It was the middle of winter," Jaden said explaining that the lack of sunlight contributed to her results. "I am going to try it again during the summer and I think it will work."

Sam Schneider, a seventh grader at Saratoga Middle School, used a combination of propane, cinderblocks, water and food dye to construct a mini-ocean to observe water currents. His project, "Quicker Ocean Currents", took first place among seventh graders. In his experiment, Sam tested if water temperature had an impact on ocean current speed. After discovering that ocean currents moved faster with warmer temperatures, Sam was happy that he discovered something new.

"I chose this project because I wanted to learn something," Sam said, "I didn't know a lot about this stuff until this project."

Fourth grader Tristan Smith, decided to take after his father, Karl, and dive into engineering. Tristan's project "How Sturdy is Your Bridge?" won him third place in his grade. By placing beams in different locations, he was able to examine which bridge would hold the most weight. Tristan said that the idea for this project came from his own experience with his toys.

"I got the idea while playing with Legos. I wanted to use Legos for my project, but I didn't have enough," Tristan said.

SMS Science Fair

Results

4th Grade

1: Jaden Campbell

"Umbrella Food."

2: Zachery McArthur

"The Dissolving Race"

3: Tristan Smith

"How Sturdy is Your Bridge?"

5th Grade

1: Katelyn Bifano

"Hot Colors"

2: Jonas Calvert

"Melting Ice"

3: Tasia Daley

"Candle"

6th Grade

Logan Wells

"Cleaning Pennies"

Kaylyn Hunter

"Fighting the Stains"

Taylor Bennett

"Greasy Chips"

7th Grade

1: Sam Schneider

"Quicker Ocean

Currents"

2: Kieran Necille

"Guacamole"

3: Jacob Sharp

"Light Pan"

 

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